Who here took drivers education in a manual transmission car? My drivers ed was in ‘87 so no chance there. My father did own one car with a manual so I did learn before I had my license. I’m curious to hear when manuals faded out for drivers ed.

I drove a Ford Fiesta 4 speed for my driving test. I drive a Chevy Colorado 5 speed currently… I’ll be teaching my soon to be 16 year old son on it; I suppose he’ll be in a shrinking minority.

I took drivers ed in 1995 on an automatic.

Learned how to drive manual on an old Chevy pickup truck. I have owned 2 manual transmission cars and definitely miss driving manual.

I learned to drive a stick delivering pizzas a year out of high school. It was their VW bug, the tranny a testament to durability as I beat it up good learning. And thrashed it worse once I learned the ropes. It led the way to one of life's pleasures, getting paid to drive other peoples' cars.

Did drivers ed on an automatic. A Ford Fairmont if I remember correctly. May have been the worst car I ever drove. To honk the horn, you had to push in on the turn signal stalk.

My sister had a '76 Honda Civic. That what I learned to drive a stick on. I still drive a stick.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: BBMW,

Took drivers Ed in 1966 in my sophomore year, car was a brand new VW bug. Everyone had to pass driver's ed in a manual trans VW! Have never been without at least one MT car; currently the 3-pedal ride is a 2017 BMW 440xi

My initial Driver Ed car was my old mans 1961 Chevy Biscayne Coupe 6 cylinder. No power brakes or steering. 3 on the tree. I did not really drive it. It was more like wrestling.
HS Driver Ed car was a 72 Chevy Nova 4 Door with power brakes, steering and auto trans.
Felt like a Rolls Royce to me!

I didn't take my license test in a manual, but a friend of mine did. This would've been about '96.

If it were up to me, no one would be given a driver's license unless he could pass the test in a manual.

As far as driver's education, the manual transmission was discussed but certainly wasn't more than just an after thought at the time.

My daily driver is currently a manual and have been since 2005.

I learned in my dads 65 chevy van 3 on the tree when I was 13 years old, on some dirt roads along the river.
Then drivers ed in 1970 in a VW bug 4speed.
I’ve got a geo tracker 5 speed I drive to work. My wife, who used to drive a Porsche, now says she can’t drive a stick and won’t even try.
My nephew, who is 30 years old, rides all kinds of motorcycles but says he can’t drive a stickshift car.
I’m gonna go pick that boy up and put him in the tracker. If you can work a motorcycle clutch and gearbox you should be able to drive a manual trans car I’m thinking.

Took Driver's Training in '84. Car was a Ford Fairmont, I believe. Automatic with one steering wheel, but dual brake pedals so the instructor could stomp on it in case of an error. The car I took my test on was my dad's '68 Mercury Cougar which was an auto. Dad gave me his '78 Datsun pickup after I got my license, which was a manual, so I learned stick for that.

This is how Dad taught me:

Me: "When do I shift?"
Dad: "You do it by feel."
Me: "But, where should the revs be on the tach, or what speed should I be at?"
Dad: "What did I say? You do it by feel!"
Me: "But, I've never driven a stick before, so I can't do it by feel. If you tell me the speed or engine revs, I can gauge the feel better."
Dad: "See? You're always arguing with me! DO WHAT I SAY!"

I'd rather drive the vehicle than the manual.

I keed I keed....

In drivers ed in the mid 1980's they had mostly automatics but there were several manual transmissions. You had to drive one on the range at least twice.

I really learned how to drive a stick in a '75 Mack ('82 Pierce conversion) Class A triple combination pumper with a manual transmission and standard gears so you had to double clutch it. Driver certification involved the Captain's coffee cup on the dash and not one drop better spill.

It is hard to even find a manual transmission these days, in many brands. Learned to drive one at 16, 3 speed on the column.

I took Driver's Ed in '81. Although they had a manual available, I was assigned to the automatic vehicle. I learned how to drive a manual in 1990 while in the Air Force in a deuce and a half from an NCO in the Motor Pool. We got a flat on the edge of the Everglades. Fun times.

Started driving at 13 on Chevy Chase Canyon in my dad's sports car. By the time I was 16 we had moved to rural Colorado so I drove the farm roads in a Toyota FJ40 three on the tree. That's a real primitive experience compared to modern cars. I taught each of my boys how. Told them that by the time they engaged the clutch 100 times, they'd get it smooth and would never forget how. Some of them got it before 50. One got it before 30. The last one, well, he prefers automatic transmissions. He still has not reached his 50th shift.

I took drivers Ed in 93 in an automatic, but my family only owned manual transmission vehicles and so I really learned to drive on those. The first two vehicles I bought myself, in 94 and 98, were manual transmissions.

I wanted my next new vehicle to be a manual as well, I was looking at the new Bronco, but since Ford can’t make enough cars to meet demand I’ll have to wait I guess.

quote:

Originally posted by YooperSigs:
My initial Driver Ed car was my old mans 1961 Chevy Biscayne Coupe 6 cylinder. No power brakes or steering. 3 on the tree. I did not really drive it. It was more like wrestling.
HS Driver Ed car was a 72 Chevy Nova 4 Door with power brakes, steering and auto trans.
Felt like a Rolls Royce to me!

I did not take driver Ed but, my 1st car was a '66 Biscayne, 3 on the tree. Actually was a nice car and a great 6 banger. I learned to drive Tractor trailers years later in school. Had several cars in manual transmissions and, I've drivin all the big trucks except Marmon. Gear boxes up to 18 speed and one really cool old V8 Detroit dumper with 2 sticks.

Learned on auto (1980) and have only owned one manual(Mustang). The “fun” wore off very quickly and I’d never buy another stick.

Driver's Ed in '76. Don't remember the car but it was auto. I learned stick when I bought a Ford Courier and have had many since.

I took drivers Ed. in "74".
I remember thinking that the column shift seemed easier than the floor shift.

Back then the high school offered the class.

But now a lot of schools sub contract with independent instructors.

And the kids pay them directly.

I don’t remember when I learned to drive. But grew up on two cylinder JDs. Hand clutch and non-synchronized transmission.
All the farm trucks were manual. From “3 on the tree” with non-synchronized 1st, to 4spd with 2spd rear ends, to 10spd Mack with air shifted auxiliary.
I figured out double clutching and RPM matching at a fairly early age.

Driver’s Ed was offered by my HS. The driving portion was in a mid 80s Caprice Classic. So it was automatic.

I took my driver’s test in a 1984 Nissan truck with a 5spd. It had AC and that helped with Officer Presley’s demeanor.

Only manuals I own now are tractors and motorcycles.